Making sustainable foundations the new standard
Sustainability is paramount in today's urban development landscape. As environmental regulations tighten, local authorities and urban planners are increasingly focused on reducing the environmental impact of infrastructure projects.
One unexpectedly challenging realm is street furniture – namely, the installation of bollards, traffic signals, and street lighting.
The most significant challenges in this area include:
- Disruption to traffic during street furniture installation
- Lengthy installation times
- Frequent break-outs and re-pouring concrete following collisions
Combined, these factors make for a carbon-intensive process – with environmental impacts that are often not considered until it is too late. Enter NAL and our innovative approach to sustainable foundations.
The most significant challenges in this area include:
Reducing environmental impact through design
Traditional methods of installing street furniture often involve extensive excavation and concrete foundations. When these structures are damaged – as they inevitably are at some or many point(s) in their lifespan – repairs necessitate further excavation. The unfortunate result is:
- Increased mess and public disruption
- Increased carbon emissions and resource consumption
NAL's retention sockets are designed to mitigate these issues. Manufactured from robust cast steel or ductile iron, our sockets serve as reusable foundations that allow for the quick and easy installation and removal of assets using just a key and spanner.
In the event of a collision, the damaged street furniture can be swiftly replaced. All without requiring any additional civil-related works. So, our retention sockets help significantly reduce the need for repeated excavation and the associated environmental impact.
Plus, the system’s life expectancy of 100 years allows for four street furniture life cycles. (Significantly reducing its long-term environmental impacts.) This longevity aligns perfectly with the goals of local authorities aiming to meet green targets and create sustainable urban environments.
Minimising disruption and maintenance time
Another of the biggest challenges associated with traditional street furniture installation is the disruption it causes to traffic. Excavation, concrete curing, and extended installation times often require road closures or traffic management. In turn, this leads to:
- Increased congestion / lengthy delays
- Higher vehicular carbon emissions, with more cars sat waiting in traffic
NAL’s retention socket foundation system effectively addresses these concerns by allowing for immediate replacement of damaged furniture. Foundations can endure impact after impact, and can be reused every time. So, the replacement of damaged street furniture requires minimal time on-site.
Firstly, this speed minimises disruption to traffic. Then, beyond the environmental benefits of reduced exhaust emissions, swift socket installation also improves efficiency for groundworks teams. So, both overall project costs and carbon intensiveness take an impressive reduction as a direct result of our products.
Enhancing efficiency and longevity
To meaningfully embrace sustainable foundations, urban planners must also consider longevity. Once again, NAL’s retention socket systems can enhance this area.
The NAL socket is a secure, durable and re-usable foundation, which can withstand multiple impacts. This durability reduces the frequency of replacements. To pan out, this also decreases the demand for new materials — and the environmental footprint associated with manufacturing and transporting those materials.
Replacements, however, aren’t always due to impact. For these kinds of scenarios, our retention socket design allows for the adjustment of orientation (particularly advantageous for signage, chevrons, traffic signals and street lighting) and the upgrading of street furniture, all possible after installation. As a universal foundation, the socket future-proofs installed street furniture and provides the flexibility to repurpose the foundation without any further groundworks.
Beyond retention sockets
Urban planners must also consider sustainable street furniture beyond the use of retention sockets. Understandably, the need to reduce extensive civil works and minimise the frequency of replacements applies across multiple projects and products.
That’s why we also offer a full portfolio of products that pave the way for greener urban design. Take, for example, the X-Last bollard. This product is virtually indestructible. It can withstand significant impacts without sustaining damage – simply returning to its original shape after a collision. The X-Last’s resilience minimises the need for replacements. And, once more, this also reduces material consumption, minimises carbon-intensive rework, and reduces traffic consumption.
The study of the ACV (the analysis of a life cycle), as realised by the European foundation INASMET-Tecnalia, is an assessment which measures the effects of resource use and emissions generated in the form of carbon footprint and use of non-renewable resources amongst others. The study found that the manufacturing of X-Last bollards incurs 50% less environmental impact compared to that of steel bollard production, making the X-Last the responsible choice for a more sustainable streetscape.
Commitment to sustainable practices
Asset owners and urban planners are increasingly under pressure to review their suppliers and opt for partners who can demonstrate a commitment to sustainability.
With that in mind, it is worth noting that paving the way for sustainable street furniture is just one facet of NAL’s commitment to environmental causes. For example, we also adhere to ISO 14001 standards — ensuring that environmental considerations are integral to our operations.
Our ethical sourcing policy emphasises procuring products and raw materials from reputable suppliers without compromising on quality. So, this level of commitment to responsible sourcing further reduces the environmental impact of our products.
For project partners, this means a sustainable partner you can trust. Not only can you access high-quality solutions, you can ensure minimised environmental impact.
NAL: the future of sustainable foundations
Urban planners face increasing pressure to implement infrastructure solutions that balance sustainability, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. Frequent repairs and replacements of street furniture not only contribute to high carbon emissions but also cause disruption and excessive maintenance costs.
NAL provides a trusted, forward-thinking partnership in tackling these challenges. By offering innovative, long-lasting, and environmentally responsible solutions, we help urban planners meet sustainability goals while ensuring durability and efficiency.
And, with our demonstrable commitment to sustainable practices and ethical sourcing, NAL is the reliable partner for cities looking to build a more resilient and eco-friendly future.